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The CDI can assist
you in targeting the specific segment of the market you are making your product
for – homeware, décor, fashion accessories, jewellery, gifts and novelties,
craft-art, corporate gifts, outdoor, the Christmas market, etc.

It is better to aim
for one market segment than to make many different products and not be sure
whom you are making them for. Keeping your eye on only one market segment helps
you research that market – looking at the right magazines, such as home and
décor or fashion; walking through those specific kinds of shops and seeing what
is on offer; and generally keeping an eye on what the tastes, colours, and
trends are in the market segment that you are producing for.

Our Business Support
programme runs workshops that target the different market segments. In
addition, a resource library is available, where you can browse through books,
magazines and the Internet to get ideas and inspiration.

To be part of the
Market Support programme, you need to be prepared to work hard, be very
flexible, and be committed.

One opportunity that is being developed
is to attend markets with a group of producers, which strengthens
everyone's participation. Another opportunity to test your product on both the
local and national level is to participate in shows and events. The CDI is
often asked to set up a shop at events such as the Cape Town
International Jazz Festival, Decorex or the national SA Handmade Collection.
Your product must go through a selection process, but taking part does grow you
in all the requirements of running an effective business.

Markets provide a cost-effective entry point to test products in the public sector. If you have not yet been brave enough to take your products out in public, this is a great place to start.

Some important things to consider include:

Understand the costs involved in making your product, and base the selling price on facts rather than guess work. Do sign up for one of our costing and pricing workshops for expert advice.

Try to understand what price people are willing to pay for your product – is it selling at the price you have set; are you selling so many that you can’t keep up with demand; is your product not selling at all?

What colours, designs and styles are people buying? Make more of the ones that are selling best.

Look around at what else is on offer, at what is selling, and at what price – it’s like doing mini market research.

Remember, your products need to cater for the people who are attending the market. We are in the process of establishing relationships with some of the better-known craft markets and are able to provide you with a list of markets and people to contact.